Workshops

In addition to the main conference programming Friday, Saturday and Sunday NECSS will offer educational (and fun!) workshops on Thursday June 29. Two concurrent tracks will be offered, comprised of four workshops each. Registration is strictly limited to 30 attendees per workshop.

Workshop Details

Track A

Workshop 1

Time: 10:00AM – 11:15AM

Presenter: Niki Athanasiadou

Title: Thinking Like a (Data) Scientist

Description: Through centuries of experience, breakthroughs and setbacks, science has developed an approach that aims to eliminate erroneous beliefs and help us gain knowledge about the world. The scientific method is so powerful that it only took a few decades since we understood the microbial nature of infections to achieve living well beyond our thirties, more than doubling global life expectancy. Today, we rely on science every day, when we are using our cell phone to find directions to a restaurant, connecting with friends and colleagues online, or growing our business and reaching out to potential customers. In this workshop I will present an overview of what the scientific method can and cannot do for us and offer insights into how big data algorithms work. We will then engage in a hands-on data experiment, after which we will discuss the results and share your insights.

Workshop 2

Time: 11:30AM – 12:45PM

Presenter: Steve Novella

Title: How to Survive in an Alternative Fact, Fake News World

Description: How is a skeptic to keep their sanity, and their relationships, in a world dominated by alternative facts and fake news? Learn to apply knowledge of critical thinking and human psychology to being an effective activist for science and skepticism.

Workshop 3

Time: 2:15PM – 3:30PM

Presenter: Spyrodon Condos/Yelena Bernadskaya

Title: How to Argue with Yourself

Description: Creationism, Climate Change, Vaccinations, Trump, GMOS, etc. etc. We all have firmly held convictions on almost all of these subjects. Some are more evidence-based than others and many of us engage in conversations with the explicit goal of convincing the other side that we are right. But what if we tried a different approach. The essence of understanding your own point of view is to be able to understand how the other side perceives it. We will explore what it means to have the opposite point of view. Why would someone else feel differently? Are they misguided, or do they simply have a different perspective? After a brief lecture, we will break out into small groups where you and a partner will adopt opposite positions on many issues that you’d never though you’d argue for, and then switch! After going through these exercises, you should have a clearer and stronger understanding of your own convictions as well as how the other side might approach them. You never know, you might even change your mind!

Track B

Workshop 1

Time: 10:00AM – 11:15AM

Presenter: Steve Lundquist

Title: If You Look Outside the Right Side of the Aircraft: Still Not a UFO

Description: Steve will be presenting a workshop about why people like to use pilots in general as expert witnesses, and why this may not be such a good idea. He will discuss the anecdotal nature of being an expert witness to confusing events, and why aviators in particular may actually be prone to making very common cognitive mistakes. The workshop will center around the best approaches to debunking these expert witness claims and share a lot of “there I was” aviation stories.

Workshop 2

Time: 11:30AM – 12:45PM

Presenter: Brian Wecht/Jay Novella

Title: The Art of Conversation

Description: Do you ever have trouble talking to people? In this highly interactive workshop, noted raconteurs Jay Novella and Brian Wecht will lead a variety of exercises designed to help you talk to anyone you meet – at NECSS or anywhere else!

Workshop 3

Time: 2:15PM – 3:30PM

Presenter: Steve Novella

Title: How to Survive in an Alternative Fact, Fake News World

Description: How is a skeptic to keep their sanity, and their relationships, in a world dominated by alternative facts and fake news? Learn to apply knowledge of critical thinking and human psychology to being an effective activist for science and skepticism.

Workshop 4

Time: 3:45PM – 5:00PM

Presenter: Robyn Stein DeLuca

Title: Men Make War and Women Take Care? A Skeptical Look at Who Does the Fighting and Who Does the Helping.

Description: So you think you know what men and women are like? Come and test your skills at judging how gender predicts social behaviors like being aggressive or being helpful. Do women fight? Do men care for the sick? Participants will judge real life situations and then find out what science has to say about who has a maternal instinct and who is spoiling for a fight. Bring your preconceived notions and see how well they stand up to the latest research.